
Class 
Book 



r'S^ 



Gopyiiglit^?. 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSm 



Human Chemistry 



Human Chemistry 

BY 
WILLIAM ARMSTRONG FAIRBURN 



The Nation Press, Inc. 

20 Vesey Street 

New York 






Copyright, 1914, by William Armstrong Fairburn 

All rights reserved 

Published November, 1914 



NOV 13 1914 

©Gi,A3S836o 



To 

E. R. S. 

with grateful appreciation for opportunity 
and encouragement 



Human Chemistry 




E are thinking and talk- 
ing a great deal now-a- 
days about placing the 
right man in the right 
job, about putting 
round pegs in round 
holes and square pegs in square 
holes, and this subject is one of 
the most vital problems that con- 
fronts us all, whether we work 
for others or employ men to work 
for us. 

There is, however, a phase of 
this broad subject that should not 
be ignored, and that is the respons- 
ibility of the employer or handler 
of workers, whether he be Man- 
ager, Foreman or Gang Boss, in 
the placing and using of his men 
and in his intelligent planning and 
utilization of their efforts individ- 



Human Chemistry 



ually and in combination, in order 
that the greatest efficiency and 
harmony, and therefore the great- 
est success and happiness, may 
prevail. 

All men are like chemical ele- 
ments in a well-stocked laboratory, 
and the manager, foreman, or 
handler of men, in his daily work, 
may be considered as the chemist. 

The first requisite of a chemist 
is an absolute knowledge of his 
laboratory materials, both singly 
and in combination one with the 
other. The primary requirement 
of a successful handler of men is 
a thorough knowledge of the char- 
acteristics and temperament of 
each individual and the reactions 
resulting from combinations of in- 
dividuals. 

The principal work of a chemist 
is analysis and synthesis. By an- 
alysis he separates compounds in- 
to their constituent elements, and 



Human Chemistry 



by synthesis he constructs that 
combination of elements which will 
be most efficient for the work to 
be performed. 

A human chemist is required to 
separate systems compounded by 
old non-scientific methods of man- 
agement into their constituent hu- 
man chemical elements, and then 
with a definite, preconceived plan, 
compound these individuals, in the 
proper relative proportions, into 
an organization, both harmonious 
and effective for performing the 
desired functions. 

A chemist, to cope with any 
problem or condition, must have 
accurate knowledge of the require- 
ments of the work to be performed 
as well as a complete knowledge of 
the characteristics of his chemicals. 
Many human chemists flounder 
around in real life, ignoring both 
the requirements of the work and 
the characteristics of the individu- 



Human Chemistry 



als available to perform such work, 
and this accounts for the ex- 
tremely low efficiency of the aver- 
age human worker. 

The ancients believed that there 
were only four elements, — ^fire, air 
earth, and water. Alchemists later 
maintained that there were only 
three chemical elements, — salt, 
sulphur, and mercury, or the sol- 
uble, the combustible, and the me- 
tallic. To-day there are eighty- 
one elements known to chemical 
science. This number of known 
elements, or the ultimate undecom- 
posable constituents of matter, 
has been constantly increasing as 
our knowledge in science has ad- 
vanced. 

Primitive man in his early strug- 
gles for existence on this Planet 
of ours was classified as weak or 
strong. Existence depended up- 
on physical strength and hardi- 
hood, and the law was the "Sur- 



Human Chemistry 



vival of the Fittest." Gradually 
through the ages other character- 
istics in man have asserted them- 
selves and been recognized, and 
the mental, moral, and spiritual 
natures have developed, the char- 
acteristics or temperaments of men 
becoming more complex, with 
greater and broader capacity and 
capabilities. The number of hu- 
man chemical elements has, there- 
fore, increased from the few bear- 
ing entirely upon physical force 
until to-day their name is legion 
and covers every element in the 
complex personality of mankind, 
the result of the evolution of the 
human race. 

As the eighty-one known chem- 
ical elements possess different 
characteristics, so each man to-dav 
is different from his fellows in 
temperament and qualifications. 
Of course, analytically considered, 
the individual is a most complex 



Human Chemistry 



combination of an indeterminable 
number of mental, moral, spiritual 
and physical qualities; but in each 
case the result is a personality 
which, in its relation to an organi- 
zation, is analogous to the chem- 
ical element in the laboratory. On 
the assumption, therefore, that 
each personality represents a 
chemical element, the obvious duty 
of the handler of men is to strive 
for the most harmonious and po- 
tential combinations of these chem- 
icals if the highest efficiency is to 
be obtained and the organization 
is to be a success. 

Chemicals as given to us by 
Mother Earth are seldom found in 
a pure state. Human chemicals 
as they arrive at the factory or 
office laboratory are generally far 
from the potency to which they 
are capable of being developed 
and refined. It should be the am- 
bition of each human chemical to 



Human Chemistry 



develop into the truest, purest, 
element within his power of at- 
tainment. It should be the duty 
and pleasure of the human chem- 
ist to point the way and provide 
the ideal environment for the in- 
dividual development of his hu- 
man chemicals. Many chemicals 
are purified by fire, others by wa- 
ter, and still others by the influ- 
ence of chemicals upon them, the 
chemical reaction absorbing and 
removing impurities. Some hu- 
man chemicals are strengthened 
by the fire of experience and the 
heat of life's battles; others are 
improved by the rush of life's 
work which envelops and seems to 
immerse them beyond hope, but 
the onrushing current passes, leav- 
ing in its wake a more valuable 
and truer worker for life's respons- 
ibilities. There are some human 
chemicals that are developed by 
contact with other chemicals; as- 



8 Human Chemistry 

sociation with proper people will 
round out their lives and infinitely 
increase their possibilities of use- 
fulness. 

The Creator in His infinite wis- 
dom made no bad or unnecessary 
chemical elements, neither can any 
man be considered hopelessly bad 
or useless if he is put in his proper 
place and is handled wisely and in- 
telligently by the human chemist. 
One chemical element might say 
to another, "I am more important 
than you. I am white, you are 
black; I am heavy, you are light; 
I have power to move things in 
nature; you are inert, therefore 
you are unnecessary and useless." 
Gold is over twelve times as heavy 
as oxygen, but is it twelve times 
as important? What good would 
gold do us if we were deprived of 
life by the absence of oxygen re- 
quired in respiration? Is the white 
salt more important than the col- 



Human Chemistry 



ored metal? Is the element with 
explosive tendencies more impor- 
tant than the peace-loving ele- 
ment that supplies a great hmnan 
want? All are necessary in na- 
ture. All types and characteris- 
tics of men are apparently neces- 
sary in life. The laws of nature 
keep all the chemical elements in 
their proper place and in their 
ordained combinations. The wise 
human chemist will keep all his 
workers in the sphere and in com- 
binations for which they are by 
nature fitted, and mentally, phys- 
ically, and morally equipped. The 
factory, office, business organiza- 
tion, school, or wherever men con- 
gregate or labor is a laboratory; 
the man in charge of an organiza- 
tion, department, or small gang, 
is a chemist. The laboratory may 
be stocked with great quantities 
of human chemicals, or only a few, 
but from the available stock the 



10 Human Chemistry 

competent human chemist must 
produce every combination, activ- 
ity or power needed in his busi- 
ness, industrial hfe, or department- 
al work, and he must know how 
properly to combine and use the 
various elements in order that the 
maximum efficiency and greatest 
achievement may result with the 
minimum loss through unneces- 
sary fatigue and wasteful reaction, 
or from combustion caused by 
friction and explosiveness. 

There is no profession in life 
more fascinating or more impor- 
tant than that of the technical 
chemist. There is no sphere of a 
man's work more interesting or 
more important than the handling 
of men, whether the number runs 
into the thousands or be so small 
as to be counted on the fingers of 
one's hand. The master human 
chemist must be an unprejudiced 
scientist, an unbiased student of 



Human Chemistry I I 



his men. He should be able to 
read and analyze his men just as 
the chemist can tell the contents 
of each of his bottles. He should 
know the characteristics of each 
individual and classify them ac- 
cording to deductions obtained 
from scientific observations rather 
than draw unreliable conclusions 
from general appearances. With 
this knowledge what wonderful 
combinations of power and possi- 
bilities of service he can produce. 
But let us suppose that the man 
who endeavors to fill the impor- 
tant position of chemist is not a 
scientifically trained man, and he 
rashly places chemical elements in 
wrong combinations and an ex- 
plosion occurs. Who is to blame? 
Does the blame lie with each, both, 
or all of the chemical elements, or 
does the blame rest with the in- 
efficient chemist? Surely the 
chemicals are not to blame for ig- 



12 Human Chemistry 

norance in combining on the part 
of the manipulator. It is not fair 
to the chemicals for any chemist 
to handle them rashly in defiance 
of nature's laws just because he 
has the power to do so. The hu- 
man chemist should feel the moral 
responsibihty of his stewardship 
and be cognizant of, and in full 
sympathy with the economic phase 
of his work. His efficiency will 
be manifested in placing men 
where their energies can be defi- 
nitely and most economically di- 
rected toward the accomplish- 
ment of the work for which they 
are employed, thus eliminating all 
waste and non-productive human 
effort. Heat and explosiveness, 
such as wrath, temper, and lack 
of harmony, are wasteful; the hu- 
man chemicals are consumed, less 
progress is made toward the goal 
of achievement ; the human ma- 
chine slows up, and sputters; 



Human Chemistry 1 3 



power is lost; harmony and good 
fellowship vanish, and the human 
chemist's department of work, 
measured by the standard of pos- 
sibilities, is a failure. 

Just as there are many affinities 
among the chemical elements, so 
there are many possible harmoni- 
ous combinations of human work- 
ers; some of these harmonious 
combinations, however, of both 
chemical and human elements, 
may become violently explosive 
when subjected to an outside in- 
fluence. 

Some chemicals are poisonous, 
some are harmless; many of the 
poisons are extremely beautiful; 
many of the harmless chemicals 
are not attractive to the senses. 
The detailed knowledge of the va- 
rious properties, limitations and 
field of usefulness of chemicals is 
gleaned by profound study and 
research work on the part of the 



14 Human Chemistry 

chemist, who goes far deeper than 
a simple classification based on 
weight, color, bulk and appear- 
ance. The master human chemist 
cannot depend upon the popular 
''sizing up" methods generally- 
employed, but must make just as 
careful scientific analysis of the 
characteristics and temperament 
of the individual workman as the 
chemist does of his materials. 

The carbohydrates and hydro- 
carbons are essentially different 
combinations of carbon, oxygen 
and hydrogen. Considering these 
elements individually, carbon is 
usually a dense, black substance; 
oxygen is a colorless gas, heavier 
than air, and hydrogen is a color- 
less, tasteless, odorless gas, much 
lighter than air. There is no de- 
partment of chemistry that af- 
fords the scientific chemist more 
food for thought than the 
study of the countless, varied 



Human Chemistry i 5 



combinations possible for these 
three elements. Brought together 
in one way we have carbolic acid, 
a deadly poison. Another com- 
bination of the same elements 
gives us alcohol, an intoxicating 
spirit. Still another gives us 
sugar, which has grown to be a 
household necessity. The same 
elements in varying proportions 
constitute butter, molasses, salol 
and oil of peppermint. Olive oil 
and camphor each contains about 
the same proportion of carbon, 
hydrogen and oxygen, but because 
of their different modes of com- 
bination the one is mild, nourish- 
ing and soothing, the other is aro- 
matic, strong and poisonous. 

If we consider the combination 
of only two of these elements, car- 
bon and oxygen, in one way the 
chemist produces carbon monox- 
ide, a highly poisonous gas. In 
another he produces carbon diox- 



16 Human Chemistry 

ide, industrially used in the manu- 
facture of carbonated mineral wa- 
ters, in the sugar and alkali in- 
dustries, and in the artificial pro- 
duction of ice. 

Hydrogen and oxygen together 
in certain proportions produce wa- 
ter; in another way the chemist 
obtains peroxide of hydrogen — so 
useful to the medical profession; 
but no proportioning of hydrogen 
and oxygen of themselves would 
ever produce sugar or butter. 

We are impressed with the fact 
that the primary requisites of the 
successful chemist are not only an 
absolute and detailed knowledge 
of his materials in their elemental 
forms, in their effect one upon the 
other, and all the reactions pro- 
duced by a multiplicity of com- 
binations, but he must also have 
the desired conditions or environ- 
ment to produce ideal results. 

If the master chemist has the 



Human Chemistry 17 



rare skill, tact, and scientific 
knowledge of his human chemi- 
cals to place and combine them 
properly, keeping in mind their 
true characteristics and tempera- 
ment, a world of great possibilities 
opens to him and to them. No 
one can foretell the achievement 
that is possible for the skilled 
chemist working with human 
chemicals that respond to the 
trained hand and sympathetic 
touch. 

Many human chemists waste 
their own time and strength and 
annoyingly harass their workers 
by endeavoring to compel non- 
mixing types to produce the best 
results when placed in direct per- 
sonal contact. Efficient team work 
is impossible if non-mixing hu- 
man chemicals are brought to- 
gether. Oil and water may be put 
into the same bottle, but no 
chemist can make them of them- 



lO Human Chemistry 



selves permanently mix. They 
instinctively draw apart and no 
matter how much the chemist 
sputters, scolds and shakes up the 
bottle the two fluids separate as 
soon as he leaves them alone, the 
oil rising to the upper part of the 
bottle as the water sinks to the 
lower part. A trained chemist 
would not attempt to mix oil and 
water alone, but employers, man- 
agers and foremen of labor are 
constantly endeavoring to bring 
about a corresponding physical 
impossibility. If, however, the 
chemist adds a third substance — 
soda or gum arabic — ^the oil and 
water will blend; even petroleum 
can be emulsified. The human 
chemist with his tact and good 
judgment, can often introduce 
among his non-mixing men, a nat- 
ural harmonizer, a man who pro- 
motes good fellowship and team 
work. 



Human Chemistry 1 9 

No man in any organization, 
having the divine spark of immor- 
tal life within him should be avoid- 
ed by any of his co-workers as one 
would a contagious disease, never- 
theless, men who are not by nature 
fitted to work side by side, or in 
conjunction with each other, are 
never so placed by an employer 
who appreciates the character- 
istics and idiosyncrasies of his hu- 
man chemicals. 

The technical knowledge of the 
trained chemist shows him the lim- 
itations as well as the possibilities 
of his materials. He knows that 
it would be useless to endeavor 
to turn gold into silver or lead in- 
to platinum. Some employers or 
handlers of labor spend years in 
hopeless endeavors to change com- 
pletely the basic characteristics of 
a man. 

Notwithstanding persistent fail- 
ure, attempts are continually be- 



20 Human Chemistry 



ing made to reduce the manifold- 
ness of the actual chemical ele- 
ments in nature to one single pri- 
mordial substance. Employers 
and handlers of labor are wasting 
their time and substance in futile 
attempts to reduce men to one 
class or type, herding and hand- 
ling all these distinct individuals 
in exactly the same way, no mat- 
ter what the peculiar character- 
istics and temperament of each 
may be. There are managers of 
men who openly boast of their 
policy of treating all men alike. 
Understanding of true conditions 
and knowledge of the idiosyncra- 
sies of the human individual trans- 
forms such a claimed virtue into 
a vice. Men, like chemicals, re- 
spond better to intelligent hand- 
ling which gives due regard to 
their peculiar attributes and char- 
acteristics. 



Human Chemistry 21 



A manager of men, untrained 
in regard to the temperament and 
possibilities of his workers, is an- 
alogous to an unskilled manipula- 
tor of chemical elements whose 
work must necessarily be wasteful, 
unproductive, incomplete or even 
disastrous. Whereas an efficient, 
competent handler of men is one 
who brings out the best that is in 
a man and guides such a worker 
to the development and practical 
application of his inherent forces, 
the successful worker is one who 
applies himself along lines sug- 
gested by his peculiar character- 
istics and who follows out his own 
individual bent toward greatest 
efficiency. 

As each chemical element is an 
entity, different and distinct from 
any other, so is each human ele- 
ment an entity and a personality, 
which, when guided by the human 
chemist to do work and perform 



22 Human Chemistry 



his peculiar function in life, feels 
and acquires what no inert sub- 
stance can ever acquire, namely, 
the moral stimulus of responsibil- 
ity. The success of the individual 
resulting from the proper applica- 
tion of his forces and the practical, 
satisfactory accomplishment of 
definite things in the work of life, 
leads to true happiness. 

No chemical element is in a 
state of harmony unless it is 
in contact with other elements 
or influences which do not an- 
tagonize or irritate, and no 
human chemical or worker can 
ever be truly happy in his work 
unless he is fitted by nature for the 
work which he is performing, and 
unless his general characteristics 
and temperament are in harmony 
with his specific duties and envi- 
ronment. As the chemist is a man 
of science, so must the master hu- 
man chemist train himself in the 



Human Chemistry 23 



great absorbing science of man- 
kind, a subject so very broad 
that it must cover not only the 
physical but the moral and mental 
characteristics of the individual. 
A scientific human chemist will be 
a psychological analyst who will 
study the science of the individual 
in relation to environment and the 
science of the human mind, its 
power, function, and mental pro- 
cesses. 

The day of the individual has 
arrived, and the far-sighted, sa- 
gacious handler of men, in recog- 
nizing this potent truth, is uncon- 
sciously working to dissipate the 
darkness of the old, traditional 
ineffectiveness surrounding em- 
ployment, and herald the dawn of 
a new Industrial Day. The suc- 
cessful employer of the future will 
acknowledge that the mind of the 
worker is no less important for the 
final industrial outcome than the 



2A Human Chemistry 



machine. He will recognize and 
encourage that one quality which 
will forever save man from be- 
coming a mere automaton — ^that 
divine spark of being himself — a 
personality — an individuality. 

Let us consider the types of 
men that some human chemists 
have to deal with as analogous to 
the chemicals that the trained 
chemist has to handle. 

There is the fiery, explosive, 
''don't touch me" type that the 
average employer would discharge 
as not being worth the trouble of 
handling, and who would blame 
him for doing so? Iodide of Ni- 
trogen is so very sensitive and ex- 
plosive that it will explode if rub- 
bed with a feather, and if dry will 
explode when dropped two feet 
on to the surface of water. This 
is the extreme of sensitiveness, de- 
manding extreme caution and care 
in handling. Very few laborator- 



Human Chemistry 25 



ies would have such a substance in 
the place and the chemist in charge 
is quite right in declining to have 
such dangerous material about 
him, nevertheless Iodide of Nitro- 
gen is occasionally very valuable 
and it is possible that even the 
quick-tempered, /Super-sensitive, 
highly explosive ''Iodide of Nitro- 
gen" type of man could be used 
successfully in an organization if 
he is kept away from all sub- 
stances that would upset and an- 
noy him. Such a man's sphere of 
usefulness will always be very nar- 
row and restricted; he stands in 
his own light and is his own worst 
enemy. His quickness consumes 
himself and strikes in as well as 
out. 

Less sensitive, but still explosive 
of themselves, are the fulminates of 
silver and mercury. These chemi- 
cals require practical isolation in 
the laboratory, yet who will say 



26 Human Chemistry 



that they are useless? If a skilled 
chemist handles them and keeps 
them unruffled and normal, they 
perform, when required, special 
functions. Some handlers of la- 
bor would not keep in their em- 
ploy an explosive human chemical, 
yet at times these explosive prop- 
erties can be guided and trained 
so that in the hands of an expert 
chemist they become not so much 
explosion producing, as power 
producing chemicals — the kinds 
that make things go. To throw 
such men out of employment may 
result in detracting from the 
power and ability of the organiza- 
tion to really do things along cer- 
tain lines. 

Nitrogen Chloride is an oily 
liquid, intensely sensitive to explo- 
sion, but it is said that an Ameri- 
can invented and operated an en- 
gine run by explosions of Chloride 
of Nitrogen, the dangerous oil be- 



Human Chemistry 27 



ing exploded just as fast as it was 
produced. Here is an illustration 
of a trained mind harnessing to 
the wheels of industrial progress 
a compound greatly feared in any 
laboratory. 

Uncontrolled temper, haphaz- 
ard fljang into a passion, are in- 
efficient, weakening, and wasteful. 
Every exhibition of weakness 
should be condemned and no ex- 
cuse will justify weakness and er- 
ror; nevertheless, what is natural 
and easy for one man is extremely 
difficult for another. Employers 
and handlers of labor should, with 
a trained chemist's skill, endeavor 
to safeguard and isolate their sen- 
sitive, explosive himaan chemicals, 
in order that their power can be 
used in true productive work 
instead of in useless fits of passion, 
which, unless eliminated, may tend 
to weaken and retard the positive 
progress of the entire organiza- 



^O Human Chemistry 



tion. Moreover, it is highly prob- 
able that the human chemist can 
tactfully bring his explosive men 
gradually to a realization that 
their progress and broad useful- 
ness in general work is being im- 
peded by explosiveness and lack 
of self control. As a result, isola- 
tion and special consideration may 
ultimately become unnecessary 
and good men saved to themselves 
and to the organization through 
the knowledge, patience, and tact 
of the human chemist. 

There are some perfectly good 
chemicals, useful of themselves, 
that will explode violently if 
brought into contact with each 
other. Explosive mixtures are 
made of Chlorate of Potash and 
Sulphur; Red Phosphorus and 
Ammonium Nitrate; Carbon, Sul- 
phur, and Nitrate of Potash make 
Gun Powder; but no chemist 
would condemn any of these in- 



Human Chemistry 29 



gredients because of their peculiar 
properties of exploding in contact 
with certain other ingredients. 
Moreover, it is a fact that all these 
stated chemical mixtures will re- 
main inert and quiet unless the 
chemist wilfully or ignorantly sub- 
jects them to friction, heat or 
impact. 

There are many chemicals, non- 
explosive of themselves and even 
averse to supporting combustion, 
which, when combined with other 
chemical elements, are consumed. 
There are many men, unobtrusive 
and of tranquil mind and friendly 
hearts, who, in certain combina- 
tion with other human chemicals, 
neither commence nor of their own 
volition support combustion, but, 
nevertheless, are consumed, and 
their fine qualities destroyed. 

There are chemicals which never 
take the initiative in combustion, 
but which nevertheless burn fierce- 



30 Human Chemistry 



ly and with tremendous power 
when once ignited. The quick 
combustible may be apparently 
inert or dormant until an oxidiz- 
ing chemical is combined with it, 
and even then the explosion may 
be mild and the effect localized, 
but if a chemical, slow to ignite, 
but of great burning and flaming 
power, is combined with the com- 
bustible and oxidizing chemicals, 
the classified "slow to ignite" in- 
gredient will cause a fiercely de- 
structive conflagration. When we 
analyze the relation of human 
chemicals with each other and the 
functions they perform in differ- 
ent combinations, we find that it 
is sometimes the mild mannered, 
slow to anger, industrious worker, 
who, in the wrong combination 
with antagonistic elements, ex- 
pends his energies in the wrong 
direction, radiating powerful in- 
fluence in wasteful and unproduc- 



Human Chemistry 31 



tive expenditure of power and self 
consumption. 

Again we see the importance of 
a skilled human chemist, trained 
in the science of human analysis, 
in preventing the wasteful, explo- 
sive organization, which is directly 
due to ignorant and inefficient 
supervision, and failure to recog- 
nize and place the individual pe- 
culiarities. 

Metallic Sodium and Chlorine, 
considered separately, are of lim- 
ited use, but we find them chem- 
icalty combined in nature in the 
form of common salt, of vast com- 
mercial use and a household ne- 
cessity. Many an earnest worker 
does not perform his best or most 
useful work and obtain the great- 
est possible results from his labors 
until the human chemist places 
him in the proper relation with 
other men in the organization; 
then each spurs on the other; each 



32 Human Chemistry 



is encouraged by the other, and 
team work, with true human co- 
operation, wins victories that no 
individual effort can obtain. 

Again, some chemicals can mix 
acceptably in a certain environ- 
ment, but would combine with ex- 
positive violence if the chemist en- 
deavored to mix them in a differ- 
ent environment. We can con- 
sider Hydrogen and Chlorine, 
which combine slowly to form 
Hydrochloric Acid if kept in 
the dark. If the mixture is 
thrust into bright sunlight they 
combine with explosive violence. 
White Phosphorus, if kept in wa- 
ter or in an atmosphere of low 
temperature, is stable and harm- 
less, although possessing great 
dormant power. If such Phos- 
phorus is removed from water or 
is plunged into a warm or even 
normal temperature, it ignites 
promptly and consumes itself. 



Human Chemistry 33 



This fact is paralleled in human 
experience and many men in one 
environment or phase of activity 
will work harmoniously and effec- 
tively, either as a single unit or in 
combination with others, whereas 
they would not function properly 
or mix acceptably in some other 
division of work. Ordinary illu- 
minating gas and air will remain 
inert until there is a spark, which 
inmiediately causes an explosion; 
therefore, extreme care must be 
used by the chemist to avoid any 
influence, either from outside the 
laboratory, or from the equipment 
and personnel within, coming in 
contact and exploding valuable 
gases. The wise human chemist 
not only knows his human chem- 
icals, their afiinities, temperamen- 
tal poles, peculiarities and limita- 
tions, but he must safe-guard them 
from outside influence and antag- 
onizing, trouble-making inside con- 



34 Human Chemistry 



tacts that disturb, ignite, and con- 
sume. Moreover, he himself must 
see that his equanimity is properly 
maintained so that there is no pos- 
sibility of his actions producing 
the spark which ignites inflam- 
mable or explosive gases or com- 
binations of chemicals. 

How manifold are the charac- 
teristics and functions of the va- 
rious chemicals! Scientists have 
attempted to classify them accord- 
ing to their gaseous, soluble, or 
metallic properties. In physical 
science the chemical elements are 
compared with such concepts as 
Mass, Momentum, Electricity, 
Entropy, and such. We cannot 
classify men according to their 
mass, i. e., their weight, height, or 
general dimensions or propor- 
tions ; neither can we classify them 
according to their momentum, i. e., 
speed of movement or speed of 
thinking. A classification based 



Human Chemistry 35 



on their electricity or relative en- 
ergy or enthusiasm would not of 
itself help us much, for misap- 
pUed energy and wasteful applica- 
tion of human forces are common. 
The classified division of entropy, 
referring to temperature changes 
which can be likened to coolness, 
passion, explosiveness and frigid- 
ity, are all interesting but of them- 
selves prove little. The himaan 
chemists at work in life's many 
laboratories, great and small, must 
not be content in their analysis of 
men until they can place and know 
the characteristics and idiosyncra- 
sies of their men just as minutely 
as the skilled, technical chemist of 
to-day knows and locates the 
chemical elements. 

The himrian chemist should have 
the same broad views in regard to 
himaan chemicals that the scientific 
chemist has in regard to chemical 
elements. Some of the human 



36 Human Chemistry 

chemicals have apparently small 
and almost insignificant powers of 
performing useful work, but even 
some of these seemingly trivial 
functions may prove very impor- 
tant in the work of an organiza- 
tion. 

A film of grease launches the 
mammoth ship, and catalyzers in 
extremely small quantities acceler- 
ate reaction. Peroxide of hydro- 
gen under ordinary conditions de- 
composes very slowly. If we add 
a pinch of colloidal platinum to a 
barrel of peroxide it will decom- 
pose with intense effervescence, 
yielding water and oxygen, and at 
the end of the reaction the plati- 
nxmi black will be found in an 
absolutely unchanged condition. 
From this chemical fact we can 
draw two important lessons. First, 
that a small, apparently insignifi- 
cant human chemical may prove 
to be very important in conjunc- 



Human Chemistry 37 



tion with others, and, secondly, 
that a relatively trifling human 
chemical, not properly handled or 
placed, might make an awful lot 
of trouble in the laboratory, and 
when all the fuss has blown over 
it will still appear innocent and 
harmless. An efficient human 
chemist, like his scientific brother, 
must be as wise as a serpent in 
his relation with the chemicals in 
his laboratory. 

Scientists have been working of 
late to determine more definitely 
the stability of chemical elements 
and it is now said that Radium 
not only changes itself into an- 
other element, Helium, but actu- 
ally causes other elements to 
change. Work along these lines, 
being of present day origin, we 
do not know what new laws will 
be found to regulate these most 
unexpected reactions, but the ap- 
plication to our human chemicals 



38 Human Chemistry 



in life's laboratories is clear. It 
seems that the chemical world 
teaches us what we know to be a 
truth in real life, that concentrated 
application and inner striving for 
improvement of ourselves will 
bring forth its own reward; more- 
over, the strong life, especially the 
one undergoing a change through 
growth and development exerts a 
powerful influence on others. If 
we heat Lead Tartrate in a closed 
test tube and then throw the resi- 
due into the atmosphere it will ig- 
nite spontaneously. If we apply 
ourselves to the heat of work and 
storing of life's knowledge, we 
pass from the test tube of hard 
experience into the world with a 
message and the influencing light 
and warmth of truth. 

A trained chemist can accurate- 
ly analyze an egg, stating its com- 
ponent elements in their exact rel- 
ative proportions, but he is power- 



Human Chemistry 39 



less synthetically to create for us 
an egg with its distinctive phys- 
ical qualities. The chemist can an- 
alyze and by synthesis he can du- 
plicate chemically almost any sub- 
stance in nature, but in many cases 
he cannot recombine the chemical 
elements to make the same svib- 
stance that nature creates. 

White phosphorus is a deadly 
poison, but amorphous phospho- 
rus, with the same chemical sym- 
bol, is harmless and entirety differ- 
ent in its physical characteristics. 

Two parts of hydrogen and one 
part of oxygen, chemically com- 
bined, give us water, but under 
different physical conditions the 
identical same chemical combina- 
tion produces ice or steam. The 
same chemical compound, there- 
fore, gives us a solid, a liquid, and 
a gas. 

Carbon appears in nature in 
forms which vary physically all 



40 Human Chemistry 

the way from the lubricant, graph- 
ite, to the hardest substance known 
— the diamond. 

Two workers may have similar 
characteristics in regard to con- 
serving or scattering qualities; 
quickness of thought and action, 
mental, vital, or motive tempera- 
ment and general mental endow- 
ment, but one may be a diamond 
among men, whereas, the other 
may be the ordinary carbon type 
of man that we appreciate but 
little. What is the difference? Is 
it the spiritual nature of man, 
the higher self, the mind that rises 
superior to matter, or is it the per- 
sonality? Whether it be the im- 
print of the Creator on the soul 
of man or simply a moral, mental 
quality, it exists. 

Scientists can prove that the 
Anthropoid Ape or Chimpanzee 
has a brain practically identical 
with that of a man, both as re- 



Human Chemistry 41 

gards size, proportions, and chem- 
ical characteristics, but we all 
know of the wonderful difference 
between the brain power of an 
animal and that of a man. 
Whether it be mind, will or spirit, 
the difference exists. Man alone 
has the capability of using his 
brain as a library full of shelves; 
of obtaining information, storing 
it, calling for it, expressing it, of 
hearing and reading with under- 
standing and of transmitting his 
thoughts and expressions to others 
by words set forth in writing or 
speech. 

With mankind the analogy to 
the variable physical properties of 
chemicals lies in the different way 
men acquire and use their knowl- 
edge; in the different way their 
faculties are utilized; in the devel- 
opment, depth, and expression of 
their personality; in their ideals 
and spirituality. 



42 Human Chemistry 

No human chemist can give a 
man that inner something which 
transforms a man into a magnetic 
soulful personality; this is some- 
thing that a man must acquire or 
develop for himself according to 
his inherent possibilities. 

I say that a man must work out 
his own salvation and that no hu- 
man chemist can give a man a per- 
sonality, but the master human 
chemist can discover the latent 
possibilities within his men; indi- 
cate these possibilities and encour- 
age along well defined lines the 
highest individual development 
for each man under him. Such at- 
tainment may make a diamond 
type of man out of a carbon type, 
a leader out of a follower, a dom- 
inating, forceful worker out of a 
passive, negative individual. 

Carbon is a common non-metal- 
lic chemical element, and yet it ex- 
ists in the most expensive as well 



Human Chemistry 43 



as the cheapest of substances. 
Carbon is represented by the dia- 
mond and by graphite, and it is 
the principal constituent in coal 
and petroleum. A study of the 
carbon possibilities should be a 
source of inspiration to the human 
chemicals. Very of'cen it is a mat- 
ter of ambition, or will power, 
whether a worker will be of the 
ordinary coal type of man or the 
rare and precious diamond type. 

All chemicals are not of the same 
commercial or industrial value. 
Some are rare and very expensive; 
others are found in profusion and 
have a very low monetary value. 
All are necessary in nature, but 
all have a pecuniary value depen- 
dent upon their relative scarcity 
in nature and the difficulty in ob- 
taining these materials. Although 
each human element is necessary 
in the Laboratory of Life, it must 
not be assumed by the more com- 



44 Human Chemistry 

mon human chemicals that they 
have a value equal to that of the 
rarer orders. The compensation 
of workers depends on their worth 
just as truly as the market price of 
chemical elements depends on their 
rareness and intrinsic value. The 
policy of a Square Deal for all 
workers carries with it the spirit 
of true equity based upon values 
and producing power, and as a 
diamond cannot be bought for the 
same price as its equivalent weight 
or bulk of coal, so must a human 
element of valuable characteristics 
and high relative worth command 
more money in the mart of labor 
than the human element of lesser 
qualijfications, no matter how true 
to his standard of possibilities each 
may be. In this idea of just re- 
ward for true worth lies the great- 
est stimulus to ambition and indi- 
vidual effort. 



Human Chemistry 45 



The functionality of a chemical 
element is its power of perform- 
ing in a specific way by virtue of 
its peculiar constitution. The 
functionality of an individual in 
an organization covers his natural 
capabilities, his special aptitude 
for any peculiar work or activity, 
mental or physical. The function- 
ality of a chemical element, or of 
an individual, is, therefore, the 
outward, visible, or apparent ex- 
pression of the inner true individ- 
uality. The chemist indexes his 
chemical elements according to 
their functionality and keeps con- 
spicuously before him at all times 
this knowledge of their different 
characteristics, power and possi- 
bilities. In business and in indus- 
trial life functions should not be 
classified as they are embodied in 
particular men, but men should be 
classified as they embody particu- 
lar functions. 



46 Human Chemistry 



These principles applied to busi- 
ness or industrial life will not kill 
individuality, for they are founded 
on the basic principle of recogni- 
tion of the individual, not only as 
an economic unit, but also as a 
personality, with all the idiosyn- 
crasies, physical and mental, that 
distinguish a person. 

Moreover, these thoughts prac- 
tically applied, suggest an analyt- 
ical study of the individual and 
not a general grouping and con- 
sideration of types. Many em- 
ployers of men, and students of 
mankind, are so interested in 
studying types and deducing laws 
which apply to types in general 
that they lose sight of the fact that 
the individual is the basis of the 
study. The individuality of a 
worker should be demanded and 
his development encouraged along 
right lines in order that he may 
reach that plane where his peculiar 



Human Chemistry 47 



merits can be recognized and re- 
warded to the greatest extent. 
The characteristics demanded by 
the work to be performed and the 
quahfications of the workers se- 
lected to perform such work can 
be made to harmonize, and fitting 
the man to the job is the great 
channel through which effective 
progress and economic evolution 
in our industrial life must come. 

The elimination of waste is the 
great economic factor of the pres- 
ent day. Economj^ should be a 
characteristic of a scientifically 
trained man. The chemist ex- 
presses his efficiency in a practical 
manner. His definite knowledge 
of the characteristics of his chem- 
icals enables the scientist to know 
positively the chemicals required 
for the economical production of 
the desired compounds, as well as 
the exact relative proportion of 
each. Three chemicals of different 



48 Human Chemistry 

characteristics will never be coal- 
esced by a competent chemist if 
two of the same chemicals will of 
themselves perform all the func- 
tions of the three. The relative 
cost of materials is also kept in 
mind, and an industrially efficient 
chemist will always use the least 
expensive and most easily ob- 
tained ingredients, provided, of 
course, the resulting compound is 
just as satisfactory as when made 
of more expensive chemicals. 

The human chemist must be an 
economist and arrange his work- 
ers with discretion and prudence, 
keeping in mind not only the na- 
ture and volume of the work to 
be performed, but the capacity 
and peculiar functions of each in- 
dividual, in order that no useless 
or inert human chemical may be 
placed in any combination, and in 
order that the earning power of 
the individual will be in harmony 



Human Chemistry 49 



with the simplicity or complexity 
of the work to be accomplished. 

A skilled chemist husbands his 
laboratory materials and is frugal 
in the use of all the chemicals. 
He is trained to eliminate waste in 
the daily routine of his duties. If 
ten grams of a chemical are need- 
ed to perform certain functions 
he does not wastefully use one 
gram more than the required ten 
grams. 

This is one of the most potent 
factors to-day in industrial effic- 
iency and volumes could be writ- 
ten on the economy resulting from 
the elimination of waste. Much 
has been done in progressive 
plants to reduce the losses due to 
the uneconomic use of materials. 
Scientific, or task management 
has also materially reduced the 
"time factor" waste in regard to 
labor, but the greatest opportu- 
nity for the elimination of waste 



50 Human Chemistry 



in human effort can only be ac- 
complished when the hmnan chem- 
ist first knows the job in all its de- 
tails, and knows the kind of labor 
to perform it; when he knows his 
men, their characteristics and rel- 
ative value as determined by their 
earning power; knows their capa- 
bilities and natural aptitudes; 
knows how they can and will work 
on certain jobs, singly or in com- 
bination with other workers, and 
then places them to perform such 
work in harmony with his econ- 
omic plan of operation. 

We have considered to this 
point the analogy of the chemicals, 
chemist and laboratory, on the one 
hand, and the workmen, employer, 
and field of labor on the other. 
We have been compelled to as- 
sume that the chemicals had no 
voice in their part of the program 
of life and that the chemicals al- 
ways acted impassively under the 



Human Chemistry 51 



direction of the chemist. Human 
chemicals, however, possess will 
power and in this one respect are 
not analogous to materials in the 
laboratory. The technical chem- 
ists can figure out exact results, 
and be entirely responsible for the 
action of his chemicals, but the 
plans of a most careful human 
chemist may always be thwarted 
by the wilful, stubborn or ignorant 
acts of opposition on the part of 
the human chemicals. 

A knowledge of human analy- 
sis will help all intelligent workers 
to be more considerate of each 
other and more efficient in their re- 
lation to each other and to their 
foremen and managers. 

There are some chemists who in- 
stinctively dislike to handle certain 
chemical elements, and there are 
some foremen and managers who 
do not care to have men with cer- 
tain characteristics work for them. 



52 Human Chemistry 



A wise executive will train himself 
to have no positive feelings of dis- 
like for any type of human chem- 
icals, but he will always see that 
he does not saddle and handicap 
his willing assistants, in either his 
staff or line organization, with 
men who, by nature, are uncon- 
genial and will not work harmoni- 
ously with their immediate supe- 
rior officer. 

As one chemical cannot do the 
work of another, but can perform 
only the function for which it was 
created, so men cannot acceptably 
perform work for which they are 
not by nature fitted. A conserv- 
ing, "steady application" type of 
man would be unhappy and in- 
efficient if he should be placed by 
the human chemist at work re- 
quiring the handling of many dis- 
sociated things. Likewise, a man 
of good mentality, but slow to 
think and slow to act, would make 



Human Chemistry 53 

a failure of work requiring quick- 
ness in both thought and action, 
although this might be very accept- 
ably performed by another man 
of far less mental calibre. Quick- 
ness, mental or physical, does not 
mean ability, just as the explosive 
qualities of chemicals do not tend 
to make them valuable. 

The executive of an organiza- 
tion has, as a Master Chemist, a 
great responsibility in placing the 
men throughout the line and staif 
to perform the most efficient, and 
therefore the most economical 
amount of work, and this under 
conditions that tend toward happi- 
ness, health, success, and true har- 
mony. The Manager, Superin- 
tendent, Foreman, Leading Man, 
or Gang Boss, is similarly respon- 
sible, to a smaller extent, depend- 
ing entirely upon the amount of 
work which his department or his 
men have to perform and the num- 



54 Human Chemistry 



ber of human chemicals he has to 
handle and combine. Every em- 
ployee or worker has also some 
responsibility. Being gifted with 
locomotion, powers of expression, 
initiative, etc., he will, if he is wise 
and considerate of his highest wel- 
fare, co-operate and be considerate 
of his fellow men, place a miner's 
safety screen around his individual 
lamp of personality so that such 
dangers as inflanmiable and explo- 
sive human chemicals coming in 
contact with his work will not con- 
sume his interest and single-mind- 
edness and handicap him in his re- 
lations to his fellow men. 

An organization which has as 
a fundamental principle a scien- 
tific knowledge and sympathetic 
understanding of its human ele- 
ments, is building on a sure and 
firm foundation toward success. 
This knowledge of human nature 
is expended in the development of 



Human Chemistry 35 



the individual worker; finding for 
him the proper channel for ex- 
pressing most efficiently through 
work his individuality. The re- 
turns are contentment, loyalty, de- 
votion, and whole-hearted service. 



i 



